


Keep it sweet in your memory

by subak_jumokbap



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Awkward Flirting, Fluff, Getting Together, Jeno has a crush, M/M, Mark has a cute part-time job, Shyness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:02:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25911805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/subak_jumokbap/pseuds/subak_jumokbap
Summary: “I didn’t know you were invited to the birthday party?”“Not me,” Mark lets out an embarrassed laugh. He opens the reusable bag he’s carrying, the kind people bring for grocery shopping, to allow Jeno a peek inside. Jeno sees a fabric of red and blue and he looks back up at Mark even more surprised than he initially was.“Spiderman was,” Mark explains, the tips of his ears going red and Jeno lets out a harmless, flustered laugh as he finally understands the situation and ushers Mark in.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Mark Lee
Comments: 15
Kudos: 159
Collections: Markno Theme Week





	Keep it sweet in your memory

**Author's Note:**

> enjoy!

Jeno thinks he hears a knock on the door but there’s too much noise around him that he doubts it was even real at all. The second knock comes louder and Jeno’s sister shouts for him to get it. Jeno huffs, apologises to the kids he’d been helping terrorise a lego city using rubber dinosaurs with and squeezes his way past the little devils, making a face at them when they groan at how his movements are a bother. He reaches the door at a jog and opens it, surprised to find himself looking at a familiar but completely unexpected face.

“Mark Lee?”

Mark stares back at him, an equally surprised expression on his face.

“Lee Jeno?”

Jeno’s opened the door just enough to show his face, his left shoulder sticking out and his right one hidden behind it. He watches Mark curiously, unable to think of a perfectly reasonable explanation why Mark Lee is here at his sister’s house. His brows dip slightly as he takes Mark in and he quickly gives Mark an apologetic smile when he realises he’s been staring. He holds the half-opened door, drums his fingers against it. “I didn’t know you were invited to the birthday party?”

“Not me,” Mark lets out an embarrassed laugh. He opens the reusable bag he’s carrying, the kind people bring for grocery shopping, to allow Jeno a peek inside. Jeno sees a fabric of red and blue and he looks back up at Mark even more surprised than he initially was.

“Spiderman was,” Mark explains, the tips of his ears going red and Jeno lets out a harmless, flustered laugh as he finally understands the situation and ushers Mark in.

Mark Lee, apart from apparently being Spiderman at kids’ birthday parties, goes to the same university as Jeno does. Mark has, ever since the beginning of the semester, been the subject of Jeno’s lingering gazes and naive daydreams. Mark has a charming presence that Jeno can’t help but be inevitably drawn to, something about how he’s genuinely nice and thoughtful yet casual and laid back, which makes him seem easy and nice to be around. Jeno thinks he likes how Mark is a contrast of things existing together, completing him whole, rendering him a very intriguing and appealing person in Jeno’s eyes.

Mark is cute in lectures when he’s watching the screen with round unblinking eyes through his round glasses, and even cuter when he unknowingly falls asleep with his head bobbing down, the movement of which also jerking him awake. Mark and him are course mates and they know each other; Mark sends him a really cute smile whenever they pass each other outside of classes and they exchange brief conversations once in a while. But their friend groups don’t overlap and they aren’t close enough to warrant them a reason for having each other’s phone numbers. Jeno’s been meaning to do something to change that but the chance never presented itself to him. Which is why he is a little flustered at the moment to see Mark here at his nephew’s birthday party because it feels like things are aligning themselves for him to get that chance. It’s a little of an absurd situation but Jeno anticipates to see how the day will turn out. He knows one thing is for sure — he is dead set on getting Mark’s number before Mark leaves.

He directs Mark to a room for Mark to keep his belongings and change into his costume. Jeno helps his sister gather the kids into the living room tiresomely, tempting them with the idea of a really big surprise from a special someone. Once they’ve all settled down into a semi-circle around a chair that’s been placed in the center of the living room, Jeno knocks on the guest room he’d left Mark in.

“Are you ready?”

Mark opens the door and Jeno should stop being surprised but it’s going to take him a while to adjust around the fact that the person his sister has hired to dress up as Spiderman at his nephew’s birthday party is his crush. It’s certainly a new side of Mark for him but it’s not off-putting or killing his daydreams or anything of the like. It’s a little fitting, Jeno strangely thinks, that Mark’s choice of a part-time job is putting on costumes and entertaining kids on their special day. It’s kind of endearing.

“How do I look?” Mark asks.

Jeno pretends to analyse him. “Like a superhero.”

A light laugh tumbles out of Mark, a sound resonating within his chest that catches Jeno’s heart. “Perfect.”

Jeno tames the useless flutters in his stomach and leads Mark down the hallway. Once Mark steps into the living room, the children scramble on their knees, eager gasps and fingers pointing delightedly at the superhero in front of their eyes. They start chattering and it gets louder as Mark walks to the chair they’re gathered around. Mark high-fives them and pats their heads along the way before finally taking a seat.

Jeno’s nephew is buzzing with excitement, jumping with his arm raised in the air, a hundred questions waiting to be set free. Jeno’s been at the end of his nephew’s endless onslaught of questions before and he can only cross his fingers and hope that Mark is prepared enough to deal with the thrumming energy of that, but multiply it by a dozen. Mark tells them he’ll answer all their questions later, after he delivers a very important parcel to a very important someone.

Half of the adults there are making use of the time to rest and chat, while some like Jeno hang by the sides to watch Spiderman entertain the kids. Mark tells the kids to settle down in an extremely friendly but firm voice, the kind that kids obey because they know they won’t get what they want if they don’t behave. They sit down, being at their best, as they watch Mark in anticipation. Mark poses with his elbow perched on his knee and finger under his chin as he scans around the floor, looking at them carefully. It’s easy to spot who the birthday boy is, the only one with a plastic golden crown on his head, but Mark goes, “I heard it’s Jinyoung’s birthday today. I’ve come to give him a gift. Who is Jinyoung?” just to make him feel even more special that Spiderman had called out specifically to him.

Jinyoung, Jeno’s nephew, shoots up, his chest puffed out and his arm straight in the air. His voice is squeaky from excitement and he’s bouncing on the heels of his feet.

Mark laughs and if it weren’t for the mask, Jeno swears he would have seen a fond smile on Mark’s face.

“You’re Jinyoung? Come here!”

Jinyoung rushes forward and Mark lifts him, sitting him on one knee while he produces a wrapped rectangular gift from underneath the chair. He passes it to Jinyoung who accepts it giddily. Jinyoung tries to open it carefully, just to impress Spiderman, but Mark tells him it’s okay to tear it all off. It must come as a relief because Jinyoung starts pulling excitedly at the wrapper and his grin grows wider when he uncovers a box set of Avengers figurines, Spiderman included of course. Jinyoung’s so pleased that he ambushes Mark in a surprised hug and Mark returns the hug just as happy with a laugh to go with it.

“Alright, since it’s Jinyoung’s birthday, he gets to ask the first question. Then everyone else will have a turn. That’s fair right?”

A chorus of _yes_ sounds and Jeno watches in awe at how easily Mark can get them to behave and listen to him.

Jinyoung shifts on Mark’s lap to look at Mark. “Spiderman, did it itch when you got bitten? Do you eat insects like other spiders?”

Mark handles the questions like a champ. He tells Jinyoung he didn’t feel a thing when he got bitten and _no, I eat cheeseburgers just like you do!_ Then he goes on telling stories about how things started sticking to his palms after he got bitten and how he found out he could walk on walls. He shares about the one time he was late to class so he decided to climb up the side wall to get there as quick as he could, climbing in through the window at the farthest end of the classroom. A girl shoots her hand up in the air. Mark points at her.

“Did you get caught?”

Smugly, Mark answers, “My teacher didn’t have a single clue.”

Jeno scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest as he listens to Mark tackling the stream of questions effortlessly. At one point Mark looks at him while the kids engrossedly discuss among themselves on who would win if Spiderman and Ironman arm wrestled. Mark tilts his head slightly, almost like in a bashful way, and Jeno can sense his smile under his mask. Jeno shakes his head and his own lips quirk up, admittedly quite impressed at how well Mark is entertaining the kids.

An hour of the kids bombarding Mark with the most creative questions passes. Jinyoung then asks, very politely, because Jeno’s sister had taught him that if he wants something he should ask nicely, if Spiderman would want to play with them in the backyard. Mark looks to Jinyoung’s mother for permission and she gives a shrug with a smile to say _why not_. Mark nods then turns to the group of kids and says, “Sure! Last one out is it!”

The kids start shouting and gleefully running out the screen door at the side to tumble out into the backyard. Mark stands and Jeno grabs a cup of punch for him, grabbing his arm just before he joins the kids outside. An hour of non-stop storytelling has to be parching for his throat.

“Must be hot in there,” Jeno comments as he passes the cup to Mark.

Mark shrugs, turns his back to the kids as he lifts his mask just enough to drink and downs the punch in one gulp. He pulls his mask back down, thanking Jeno for the drink after. “The costume is not that bad,” he answers. “You get used to being in it after a while.”

The kids start impatiently shouting for Spiderman to come out. Jeno gives Mark a look and he can’t help out the small laugh that spills out. Mark laughs too, a little flustered. He rubs the back of his neck. “I guess duty calls.”

“Don’t want to hold you,” Jeno smiles. He opens the screen door for Mark. “Your fans await.”

Half an hour passes of Spiderman chasing the kids around only for them to tackle him and pile themselves on top of him by the end of it. Then Jeno’s sister announces that it’s time for cake cutting and Spiderman ushers them inside, reminding them to wash their hands before they eat.

They sing Jinyoung a happy birthday song and Mark holds his hand to help him cut the cake. Once the slices of cake are passed around and the kids are content getting their sugar intake of the day, Mark bids farewell to them, getting sad, pouting faces but they nod in understanding when Mark informs them he has bad guys to catch. Mark slips away to the guest room and when he comes back out, he’s in his tee, light blue jeans cuffed at his ankles and his hair a little ruffled and damp from perspiration. He ruffles it in an attempt to make it look presentable but it comes out more unkempt, in a boyish, charming kind of way. He sends Jeno a small smile when he spots Jeno in the living room and he looks a little tired but his smile doesn’t fade as he joins him.

“You look different,” Jeno jokes as he hands him a plate of the birthday cake. Mark accepts it and looks down at his own outfit, the tips of his ears turn a shade of pink.

“I suppose I do look different, don’t I?” He laughs, turning to meet Jeno’s eyes. “I usually wear my glasses when you see me in lectures.” He blinks owlishly when he realises his joke may have come off different than he intended. “Not that I mean you were watching me, or I was watching you watching me.” He flushes a little bit more and takes a bite of the cake to shut himself up. “Delicious cake,” he mutters.

Jeno suppresses a laugh, not wanting to fluster Mark more than he already is. They stand lingering at the side watching over the kids in the living room. “How long have you been doing this?” Jeno asks interestedly.

“About half a year? Although this is the first time I’ve ever met someone I know,” Mark answers. He raises his eyes from the plate balanced on his palm and glances at Jeno. He gives a quiet smile, a hint of embarrassment when he glances away. “It feels a little humiliating doing it in front of someone from school.”

“You don’t have to be,” Jeno assures him. He clears his throat. “I thought you were great.”

“Thanks,” Mark laughs but it’s sincere. “I wasn’t always good at it. I was awkward around kids. I learnt how to be around them on the job.”

“Do you get a lot of gigs?”

“It fluctuates a lot to be honest. Sometimes I get really busy and sometimes there aren’t any offers at all, but the job pays well so I just kept to it. I actually have one more gig after this.”

Jeno blinks at him. “You have to go soon?”

“I should leave about now actually,” Mark says with an apologetic smile to go with it. Jeno’s chest pangs with disappointment that Mark can’t stay longer; he hasn’t even asked for Mark’s number yet. He figures he’ll try again when he sees Mark back in school after the weekend, fearing that Mark might be in a rush to his other gig. Jeno takes Mark’s plate for him and puts it on the dining table before accompanying him to the door to see him off.

“I’m sorry you have to leave so soon,” Jeno says standing on the porch in front of the door with Mark in front of him. Mark’s carrying his reusable grocery bag in one hand and he looks a little silly, a college boy in jeans and sneakers using a twenty cents grocery bag to carry his superhero costumes. But it’s kind of cute.

“I’m sorry too. But Thor is wanted at another party.”

“I’m sure Thor will do well to impress them.”

Mark laughs and ruffles the back of his hair with a scrunch of his face. The way one eye closes more than the other makes it look like he’s winking while he laughs and Jeno’s heart stutters at the sight of it. Jeno laughs along, more out of nerves than at the conversation, trying not to make it obvious how captured he is by Mark’s sheepish smile and the way he looks good no matter whichever way he messes his hair. He’s so taken it’s embarrassing.

“I wasn’t always good with kids. I’m actually really awkward around them,” Mark confesses. He watches Jeno’s face and makes a tiny ‘O’ with his mouth. “But I’ve already told you that, haven’t I?”

He did but Jeno doesn’t mind listening again. “So how’d you get so good at playing with them?”

Mark blinks and he looks embarrassed to explain it, sounding the part when he does. “Uh, the mask kind of helps?” He puts a palm to hover over his eyes as he explains. “Like this, it’s like I’m hidden and it makes acting easier.”

He lifts his hand away, the mimic of the mask gone and smiles embarrassedly at the smile he sees on Jeno’s face. Jeno can’t help it though, Mark’s a little of a dork but in an endearing kind of way. It’s a little worrying because it only makes him fall a little more, makes his heart beat a little more excitedly.

Mark shakes his head and looks at his feet. His neck is a notable shade of red. “I probably shouldn’t have done that.”

“Mark, I’m not a kid,” Jeno laughs.

“I know, I don’t know what I was-”

“I’m saying you don’t have to be awkward around me,” Jeno urges warmly. “Maybe you should try putting the mask on? You said it helps when you get awkward.”

Mark looks up from his feet and gives Jeno a look, the kind that says ‘ _really?’_ and Jeno shrugs just to be playful but Mark plays along and reaches into his bag for his mask. He puts it on.

“Is it better now?” Jeno jokes, looking at Mark but not knowing what expression Mark has on. He can’t see Mark’s eyes at all.

“You’re really cute,” Mark says, sounding confident and sure, a complete contrast from a few seconds before. It catches Jeno by surprise and Jeno can feel his own cheeks heating up. His heart patters a light, delicate rhythm in his chest and he tries not to smile like a fool.

“It works like a charm then,” he jokes weakly instead.

Mark laughs and pulls the mask off, clutching it in his hand. He sends Jeno a genuine smile. “But I really do think you’re really cute.” Then he ducks his head shyly and laughs again, unaware of how he’s attacked Jeno’s heart two times now, apologising for using the word ‘ _really_ ’ twice and trying to convince Jeno that he doesn't have a limited set of vocabulary.

Jeno really thinks Mark is really cute too. He tells Mark it’s okay and that his vocabulary consists of barely fifty words as well. It makes Mark laugh.

“I should probably go,” Mark tells him, sounding apologetic. “I’m sorry I can’t stay longer.”

“It’s too bad,” Jeno agrees. A startling thought occurs to his head that _this_ is the perfect moment. His heartbeat picks up and in a sudden flash of spontaneity, he blurts out, “But can I give you my number?”

It catches Mark by surprise and but he agrees easily, which makes Jeno’s heart sing a sweet melody. Mark fumbles to reach for his phone in his back pocket while still holding the mask and they exchange their contacts with Mark promising that he’ll text Jeno when he’s done for the day.

“I’ll see you around in school then,” Jeno says and Mark agrees. Mark walks down the stairs of porch and when he’s on the grass, he walks backwards, which Jeno really appreciates because it feels like Mark is stalling their goodbye and Jeno kind of wants it to last a little longer too. Mark gives him a smile after a few steps then he turns around and makes his way down to the bus stop. Jeno watches him for a few seconds more and turns, feeling a little underwhelmed at their exchange as he pulls the door open to join the party again. Before he manages a step in, Mark shouts his name and he whips back around, confused to see Mark running back to the house.

Mark climbs back up the porch and when he stands before Jeno again, he sounds slightly breathless. Jeno has a feeling it’s more from nerves than from the running because he’s unexplainably nervous too at why Mark had just made a sudden U-turn.

“Sorry, I uh, was just thinking.”

“In just the past few seconds?” Jeno questions, baffled.

“Yeah,” Mark laughs, flustered. He sucks in a breath. “I was planning on texting you after my gig? But I imagined myself rewriting the same text a million times just to say hi. And it might take even longer than that for me to ask you out,” Mark exhales and his whole neck flushes. “So I thought I might as well do it now and save us both the time.”

Jeno blinks, a little fazed. Mark looks so overwhelmed with adrenaline and nerves that it makes Jeno let out a small laugh. Not at Mark, but because he’s flustered too. They’re both so awkward at this yet it’s exhilarating, the idea that the both of them are attracted to each other — that Mark is nervous to ask him out and that he himself was hell-bent on getting Mark’s number the moment Mark arrived.

Jeno thinks it’s cute how Mark knows himself well enough to know that it will take him a long time to ask him out and he's flattered at Mark’s courage to have run back here to do just that. Jeno would have taken things into his own hands if things got too long between them but now that Mark is here, nervous in front of him, he kind of wants to hear Mark say it. He wants to hear Mark ask him out.

“Okay,” Jeno says, trying to tame his smile. “I’m all ears.”

“Are you free tomorrow?” Mark lets out in a rush of breath. Jeno doesn't answer immediately on purpose just to mess with him. Mark blinks and flusters. Jeno holds back a fond laugh. Mark struggles to continue. “I know this great pasta place? It’s more of a hole in the wall, but it has the best food and service I’ve ever had. I’d like to bring you there. If you want? If not we can go-”

“Sounds great,” Jeno smiles, saving Mark from spiraling into a ramble out of pure nerves. The truth is he’s a little nervous himself. “I’m not very choosy with food.”

Mark grins, an adorable scrunch of his face and Jeno hears the relief that flows with the laugh Mark lets out.

“I’ll text you the details,” Mark promises.

“If it gets hard, you can call me. If you want.”

“Yeah, I uh,” Mark fidgets with the mask in his hand, not knowing what to do with it. Jeno thinks it’s cute how he hasn’t just stuffed it in his bag yet. It’s telling of the state he is in and Jeno is relieved he’s not the only one feeling like this. Mark smiles. “Yeah, I might actually do that. Thank you.”

Jeno smiles at him. “You’re going to be late,” he says the same time Mark mutters, “I’m probably running late.”

They laugh awkwardly and Mark rubs the back of his neck. “I should go.”

Jeno nods and smirks. “Wouldn’t want Thor to disappoint.”

Mark starts climbing down the stairs again and Jeno walks forward to stand at the edge of the porch. He looks down as Mark starts walking backwards once more.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Mark nods. He smiles, then he stops suddenly after a few metres, and abruptly walks forward again, all of which Jeno watches puzzlingly. Mark gets closer to the porch instead of away.

Now standing merely a few feet away from the bottom of the stairs of the porch, Mark looks up at him. “This is really weird but I really can’t wait to see you already?” Mark lets out in a nervous breath. Jeno blushes in an instant and Mark’s ears start turning pink again. Jeno can’t help the quirk of his lips and the raise of his brows because Mark is so unpredictable and spontaneous and _lovely_ that he already knows he’s going to replay this scene in his head a million times before he sleeps tonight. Mark smashes the mask in his hand into his face to hide the blush of his cheeks. “I said ‘really’ twice in the same sentence again. I’m such an idiot. I should have just kept my mouth shut.” He lowers the mask slightly to sneak a peek at Jeno. “Aaaaand you’re laughing at me. Great, I’ve already embarrassed myself before the first date.”

“No, no, you’re good,” Jeno assures him in a laugh, watching as Mark pulls the mask away to reveal a shade of red on his cheeks. “I still think you’re cute.”

Mark sucks in a deep breath, his chest expanding and he shakes his head as he lets out a breathy laugh. He points a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m going to leave for real now.”

Jeno nods and feigns a serious face. “You _really,_ _really_ should.”

Mark gives him a look and Jeno raises both hands in the air for his crime. Mark sends Jeno a cute smile, another thing for Jeno to hopelessly think about tonight. Mark starts walking backwards again, waving his mask in the air. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Right at that moment, Jeno spots a bus coming into the bus stop down the street. He points at it and Mark looks at him confused. Jeno widens his eyes and gestures more urgently. “Mark, run!”

Mark turns his head back and mouths a ‘ _shit’_ before giving Jeno one final wave and making a mad dash for the bus.

When Jeno comes back in after watching Mark successfully get on the bus, his phone pings with a notification.

**_Mark Lee_ **

_hi_

Jeno can’t help but smile.

—

Jeno sees Mark making his way down the front yard to the curb where he’s parked at. The windows of the car have been wound down and when Mark reaches, he bends down to peek in, arms resting on the ledge of the door. He gives Jeno a charming smile, his nose scrunching along with it. “You look cute today.”

Jeno laughs and thanks him for the compliment.

Mark opens the door and climbs in, messing up the back of his hair where perspiration has caused it to stick to the back of his neck.

“You look like you had a good time,” Jeno notes from how Mark looks like he’d spend a good hour running around. Jeno wouldn’t be surprised if he did. “Who was it this time?”

Mark reaches down into his bag between his feet and pulls out a mask which he puts on. He turns to Jeno to show him.

“Oh, Cap? He’s very popular, this is the third week in a row.” Jeno pulls Mark in closer and lifts his mask just enough to land a kiss on his lips. “Although I’ve always liked Ironman better.”

Mark huffs a laugh and pulls the mask completely off, dropping it inside his bag. “Well you’re in for a treat. Ironman gigs back-to-back next weekend.”

Jeno laughs. “Can’t wait.”

Mark smiles at him easy. “Thanks for fetching me.”

Mark always thanks him, no matter how many times he’s told Mark that Mark doesn’t have to because he’s been fetching Mark after each of his gigs. He didn't think it was necessary but Mark still thanks him every single time without fail, because Mark is always thoughtful and sweet, and Jeno’s learnt to smile instead of telling Mark to stop thanking him because Mark likes it better when he smiles.

Jeno readies to start them moving but he feels Mark watching him so he looks at Mark curiously instead. He asks in an amused tone, “What is it? You have a question in your head, don’t you?”

Mark’s lips slant up, like he’s been caught. “Are you going to drive soon or…?”

Jeno watches him and chooses his answer knowingly. “No,” he replies with a smirk, fully aware it’s the answer Mark wants to hear. Mark must know Jeno is saying it for him because he laughs, pleased.Mark is a little of an open book, adorably obvious and unawarely blunt to the point he's apologetic, but he doesn’t ever have to apologise for anything because he’s Jeno’s favourite story to read. Jeno doesn’t have to think twice to know why Mark is asking and he leans in over the gearstick before Mark can pull him in. Mark meets him halfway, greeting him in a fun and sweet kiss, laughter resounding in Mark’s chest. Mark cups his jaw and pulls him in closer and he parts his lips for Mark to slip in. Mark does. He can feel the wetness of Mark’s hair when he grabs Mark’s neck but he doesn’t really mind that Mark’s a little sweaty because his mind is glazed over with how Mark is kissing him tender. He smiles and Mark likes it when he does while they kiss, so Mark kisses him a little deeper, a little sweeter. Jeno falls a little more and a little bit more with every second they’re together.

Mark pulls away, breathless with rosy cheeks and his nose crinkles when he smiles. “I missed you. Could you tell?”

Jeno’s heart stumbles to find a steady rhythm. He huffs a laugh in an exhale. “I think I have a vague idea, yeah.”

“I’ll try to convince you better next time.”

“Maybe later,” Jeno suggests, half joking, half sincere, hoping Mark doesn’t hear it as a joke at all. Mark laughs and mutters out a soft sincere-sounding _okay_ which catches Jeno unprepared despite him wishing for it. He hides his blush when he checks the side mirror and he grips the steering wheel tight as he drives them down the street.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Whatever you want, really,” Mark answers casually as he connects his phone to the aux cord.

“Really?” Jeno asks just in case, because Mark is always considerate and has developed a habit of pleasing people which Jeno is slowly trying to undo by asking for Mark’s genuine opinion every time. It’s not that he doesn't like Mark being considerate, he just doesn’t like unknowingly taking advantage of it. He likes knowing Mark’s opinions and learning about him.

“I was actually thinking of pizza?”

“Alright,” he agrees easily.

“You don’t mind right? I’ll pay for it.”

“If you insist,” Jeno grins.

Mark scoffs. “You’re just dating me for the superhero costumes and the food, aren’t you?”

“Wrong,” Jeno sings. He glances at Mark and the corner of his lips curl up. “I’m dating you because I like you and you just happen to come with superhero costumes and free food.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“I think about you all the time though. Couldn’t you tell?”

Mark gags and pretends to throw up out the window. He laughs, resting his head back against the headrest and closes his eyes. “I don’t know, I think you could try to convince me better.”

Jeno’s heart skids and brakes and revives again but barely. He forces out a weak laugh and half-jokingly asks, “Later?”

Mark turns his head against the headrest and peeks one eye open at Jeno, his face all scrunched up in a way that makes Jeno’s heartbeat go feral and his emotions spiral out of his grasp. Mark smiles, blissfully unaware of the effect it has and that he’s been the biggest source of Jeno’s happiness the past few months. “Later,” Mark promises softly, nothing but sincere. Jeno wants nothing more than to kiss Mark right away and have Mark’s laugh whispered against his lips. But he can’t right now and that’s okay, because they have later, and a whole lot more laters after.

**Author's Note:**

> to no one’s surprise they end up making out later when Jeno sends Mark back to his apartment after their dinner date and Mark invites Jeno up ;) 
> 
> the last scene was unnecessary but i added it in as a bonus scene anyway because they’re really cute to write and i wanted to write them being in love. so, self-indulgent scene added. 
> 
> Comments make writers happy! thank you for reading!


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